Method of radiator manufacture



Patentecl Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES `PATENT yOFFICE EDWARD S. CAREY, OF MILWAUKEEpWISCONSIN, .A SSIGNOI BY MESNE .ASSIGNMENTS, T .ABTHUR K. READING, OF MA'YVILLE, WISCONSIN METHOD. OF RADIATOR MANUFACT'URE Application filed April 24, 1930. Serial No. 446,965.

This invention relates to improvements inv methods of radiator manufacture. Thisapplication is a companion to my apphcatlons means enabling the formation of such conduit in any desired contour through a casting operation whereby the formation ofthe central 'conduit and the fusing of the fins thereto are accomplished simultaneously. It is my furtheir object to provide a method for making up in any desired length radiator units embodying the features disclosed herein and in the product application aforesaid, while employing the sheet metal radiator fins in cooperation with intervening die plates as a mould within which to cast the central body in which the steam duct or conduit is formed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled fins and die plates constituting a mould in accordance with the practice of the present invention, certain of the die plates being broken away to expose the surface of one v of the fins.

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section on the plane indicated at 2-2 in Figure 1 and showing that stage of the operation in which pouring of molten metal into the mould has commenced. j

Figure 3 is a section similar toFigure 2 showing the partially completed product with the die plates or spacing plates withdrawn and the core member partially withdrawn.

Figure fisa view in fragmentary perspective showingamodified form of mould for use in connection with the method of the present invention. v

Figure 5 is an end elevation of a radiator v such as will be produced by the form of mould shown in Figure 4.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Referring first to Figure 3,-it will be noted that the completed article made in accordance with the process herein disclosed, is to include a central body 5 about the periphery of which sheet metal radiating fins 6 are fused. The internal contour of the body 5 is preferably cylindrical to comprise asteam passage 7. The external contour, however, is preferably elliptical or oval as indicated by the openings shown in Figure 1. The object of this external contour is to promote the transverse fiow of gases between fins 6.

The fusion `Vbetween the body 5 and the fins 6 is accomplished by casting the body 5 within openings 8 within the fins and slightly larger openings 9 of the desired external contour. The openings 9 are formed in the complementary margins of die plates 10 and 11 which are arranged in vertical stacks interleaved with fins 6 as shown lin Figures 1 and 2. The die plates preferably project beyond fins 6 as shown in Figure land are provided therebeyond with openings such as the dovetailed slots 12 which register vertically throughout the stack of die plates thereby permitting the use of a tool for engagement with all of the die plates of veach stack to disengage the whole series thereof 'simultaneously from the completed casting.

Arranged to project vertically downwardly through the registering holes 8 and 9 in the fin plates and die plates respectively is a core member 15 which may be withdrawn. vertically as shown in Figure 3. In order to prevent the cast body 5 from shrinking upon the core member 15 to such an extenty asto make withdrawa'l of the core member impossible, encase the core member 15 in a j ackety 16 comprising a. sleeve of asbestos paper or the like.

I have even used asbestos board having a corrugated bore as shown in the drawings,

j although this is not necessary. Any asbestos paper of reasonable thickness is suificiently compressible to permit the core 15 to be withdrawn from its socket 18 and from the cast-- of the bore remaining in the casting as a steam conduit therethrough.

With the die plates 10 and 11 and the interleaved sheet metal fin plates 6 assembled in a stack, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, molten metal which preferably is identical with that used in the fin plates 6 and is preferably highly conductive of heat, such as aluminum, is poured into the openings 8 of the fins and the openingrs 9 formed by the complementary notches in the margins of the die' plates 10 and 11. It should be stated that the line of division between the die plates may Obviously coincide with either the major or minor diameters of the oval or elliptical openings 9 therein. The use of die plates as disclosed. permits the manufacture of cast bodies 5 having a great variety of external contours.

As the hot meal is delivered into the openings in the stack of plates as shown in Figure 2, it flows outwardly between the fins 6 until stopped by the combined action of the die plates and the cooling of the molten metal due to dissipation of heat into the fins 6. The fin plates 6 are sufficiently thin so that the margins thereof about the openings 8 will melt and fuse with the body of cast metal. In thus delivering up heat to the fins, and particularly because of the close spacing of the fins and the fact that they extend completely around the body of cast metal to take heat from all portions thereof, it will be found that the cast metal, if poured at the e correct temperature, will solidify very quickly and for this reason will not tend to seep between the fins and die plates in the assembled stack.

- Thus when the cast body' 5 has solidified with the fin plates 6 fused therein, there is nothing except a certain degree of contraction of the cast body to prevent free withdrawal o'f the die plates from between the fins. To overcome any friction resulting from such contraction as occurs, Iehave provided the openings or slots at 12 with which a dove-tailed member may be engaged to withdraw the plates.

During the operation of withdrawal, the completed radiator section is held stationary by engagement of the core 15 in socket 18. After the spacing and forming` plates 10 and 11 are withdrawn, core 15 is withdrawn, the

sheet 16 is washed out or otherwise removed, and the radiator section is threaded for pipe connections or is cut into Smaller' sections which are individually threaded.

Obviously the length of radiator section which may be madein accordance with this invention is limited vonly by the apparatus available and the length of possible flow 7of `molten metal through the assembled stack of plates before solidification occurs.

VVhere the desired length of the mould and the character of the desired material to r scope af the be employed are such that the molten material cannot reasonably be expected to flow the entire length of a vertical mould such as that shown in F igure 1, I may use the form of mould shown in Figure 4 which is identical With that shown in Figure 1 with the eX- ception that the -stack of laminations eX- tends horizontally instead of vertically, each lamination, or at least selected laminations, being slotted to provide a suflicient opening for the introduction' ofI the molten material to the communicating apertures in the interior of the mould.

The slots of thefin plates 6, if these be used, may be made narrower than the slots in the spacer plates 10 and 11 so that the margins of the fin plates will be fully embedded in the tongue 20 of the cast body', as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5.

The funnel 21 may be used to guide into the aligned slotsl of the mould laminations the body of'metal at v22 in the trough shaped ladle or pouring device 23. Such body of.

metal is preferably just suflicient to fill the cavity within the mould and due to the fact that the molten material is poured into the side of the mould i t has a very short distance to flow. Thus, notwithstanding the extent to which the centrally projecting margins of the films will carry off the heat, the molten naterlilial will adequately fill a mould of any engt In all other respects the apparatus shown in Figure 4 may correspond with that shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. Obviously other Variations in form are possible with the present invention. Iclaimzi I1. The method of casting which consists in assembling a stack of laminations having communicating 'apertures corresponding at each point to the cross section of the desired casting and pouring' laterally into said apertures the material to be cast, whereby edges of certain of the laminations are fusedan united with the casting. 'i

2. The method of casting which includes the assembly in' avhorizontally elongated series, of a set of laminations having communicating apertures and u'pwardly opening slots, and pouring into the slots of said laminations the material to be cast in the apertures thereof, whereby edges of certain of the laminations are fused and united with the casting. v v 3. The method of manufacturing radiator units, which method comprises the steps of preparing a plurality of sheet metal plates to form radiating fins and providing each such fin plate with an opening of predetermined dimensions; preparing a plurality of pairs of separable spacing and die plates and providing pairs of'such plates at their meeting edges with an opening of larger dimensions; assembling the fin plates and pairs neeefiee core member longitudinally in the said cavity to provide a conduit; filling thecavity with molten metal whereby to fuse the said extending margins of the fin plates and form an integral structural radiator unit comprised of a longitudinal body and a plurality of radially disposed radiating fins; and withdrau'ing the spacing and die plates from the said unit.

4:. The method of manufacturing radiator units, which method comprises the steps of preparing a plurality of sheet metal plates to form radiating fins and providing each such fin plate with an opening of predetermined rlimensions; preparing a plurality of pairs of separable spacing and die plates and providing each pair of such plates at their meeting edges with an opening of larger dimensions; assembliug the fin plates and pairs of spacing and die plates in alternation with the openings therein in communication to form a casting cavity, with the margins of the fin plates abutting the openings therein extending into the said cavity; positioning a core member longitudinally in the said cavity to provide a conduit; filling the cavity with molten metal whereby to fuse the said extending margins of the fin plates and form an integral structural radiator unit eomprised of a longitudinal body and' spaced, radially disposed radiating fins; and withdrawing the spacing and die plates from the said unit.

The method of manufacturing radiator units, which method comprises the steps of preparing a pluralit7 of sheet metal plates to form radiating fins and providing each such fin plate vfith an opening of predetermined dimensions; preparing a plurality of pairs of separable spacing and dieplates and providing each pair of such plates at their meeting edges with an opening of larger dimensions; assembling the fin plates and pairs of spacing and die plates in alternation with the openings therein in communication to form a casting cavity, with the margins of the fin plates abutting the openings therein extending into the said cavity; positioning a core member longitudinally in he said cavity to provide a conduit; filling t e cavity with molten metal whereby to fuse the said extending margins of the fin plates and form an integral structural radiator unit comprised of a longitudinal body and a plurality of radially disposed radi'ating fins, and withdrawing the spacing and die plates and the core member from the said unit.

6. The method of manufacturing radiator units, Which method comprises the steps of preparing a plurality of sheet metal plates to form radiating finsand providng each such fin plate with an opening of predetermined dimensions; preparing a plurality of pairs of separable spacing and die platesand providing each 'pair of such plates at their meeting edges with an opening of larger di-` mensions; assembling the fin plates and pairs of spacing and die plates in alternation with the openings therein in communication to form a casting cavity, with the margins of the -fin plates abutting the openings therein extending into the said cavity; positioning a covered core member longitudinally in the said cavity; filling the cavity with molten metal Whereby to fuse the said extending margins of the fin plates and form an integral structural radiator unit comprised of a longitudinal body and a plurality of radiallyl disposed radiating fins; withdrawing the spacing and die plates from the said unit; and Withdrawing the core member and its covering to provide a conduit in the radiator unit.

7. The method of manufacturing radiator units, which method comprises the steps of preparing a plurality of thin, fusible, sheet metal plates to form radiating fins and providing each such fin plate with an opening of predetermined dimensions; preparing a plurality of pairs of thicker, non-fusible, separable spacing and die 'plates and providing pairs of such plates at their meeting edges with an opening of larger dimensions; assembling the fin plates and pairs of spacing and die plates in alternation With the openings'therein in communication to form a casting cavity, with the margins of the fin plates abutting the openings therein extending into the said cavity; positioning a core member longitudinallyin the said cavity to provide a conduit; filling the cavity With molten metal whereby to fuse the said extending margins of the fin plates and form an integral structural radiator unit comprised of a longitudinal body and a plurality of radially disposed radiating fins, and withdrawing the spacing and die plates from the said unit.

Y EDWARD S. CAREY.

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